Frame for school-slates



(No Model.)

D. SGRYMGEOUR.

FRAME FOR SCHOOL SLATES.

No. 277,164. 8 Patented May 8,1883.

minesses Ewenfor.

N, PETERS Phulo bmographar. Wnhinglun. me.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID SGRYMGEOUR, OF EoXEoRo oH, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF To SAMUEL K.SORYMGEOUR, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

FRAME FOR SCHOOL-SLATES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 277,164, dated May a,1883.

Application filed July 6, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, DAVID SCRYMGEOUR, acitizen of the United States, residing at Foxborough, in the county ofNorfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and'useful Improvements in Frames for School- Slates; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being bad to theaccompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference markedthereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to means whereby the slate ordinarily adapted forschool purposes may be rendered noiseless, less liable to break owing tofalls, and will not scratch any smooth surface upon which it may be laidwhen in use; and it consists in an ordinary slate surrounded by a wire,rattan, or other similar flexible material, said wire being somewhatlarger than the dimensions of the slate and covered with rubber inmanner to be hereinafter described, the rubber serving as a perfectprotect-ion to the slate against the jars and shocks incident to a fallthereof.

The drawings accompanying this specification represent, in Figure 1, anisometric view, and in Fig. 2 a cross-section, ofa slate embodying myimprovements.

In these drawings, A represents a schoolslate of the ordinary size andshape, while B represents a coveringof rubber surrounding and closelyhugging the edges of said slate, and constituting a means for protectingit from any sudden shocks or strains liable to produce afracture andrender it useless.

Hitherto school-slates have generally been made with a wooden frame,which in the hands of children has been an article productive of muchnoise, and hence a very great objection.

This fault has been partially remedied or obviated by covering thewooden frame with felt or cloth of several thicknesses. Still thiscovering does not prevent fracture of the slate, as the latter is heldsecurely in the wooden frame, and any sudden shock due to a fall isdirectly transferred to the slate, thereby fracturing it.

The frame which I propose to make renders the slate perfectly noiseless,and can .be very easily cleansed by plunging the entire article intowater.

G in-the drawings represents a wire surrounding the slate A, and forminga rectangua, thence-transmitted with diminished force to the wire 0, andfinally entirely overcome by the interior surrounding portion, 1), whicheffectually protects the slate. This frame may 6 be made of light rattanor other equivalent material, and is put around or about the slate, notonly to break and obviate any shocks, but

to give additional strength and firmness to the rubber coveringandpreventits being stretched and torn off.

I will now proceed to describe the method of making a slate with a framecontaining my improvements.

I take apiece ofcopper wire, bend it around the rectangular slate, andbraze its ends together. I then envelop said wire and the edges of theslate with unvulcanized rubber, and subject said rubber topressure andheat while in contact with sulphur. The pressure is applied by a mold ofthe shape necessary to make a frame resembling that shown in thedrawings. This will cause the rubber to cling tightly to the wire andthe edges of the slate, and the pressure, in connection with theheat, 25will vulcanize the rubber, so that it will retain permanently the shapethus given it. By this means, by varying the shape of the mold,variously shaped rubber coverings may be made for anyslate, and theheating or vulcanizing process which the rubber undergoes renders theentire mass 0 homogeneous and securely fastens it to the slate A andabout the wire 0. One advantage of this rubber covering as a substitutefor the ordinary wooden frame is that it prevents the slate fromslipping and moving about on the smooth surface of the desk, and it willremain in any position without requiring the assistance of the otherhand to maintain steadiness when being written upon. The wire and itsrubber covering constitute together the slate-frame, which presents onits inner face the necessary groove or recess to receive the edge of theslate.

I am aware that it is not new to construct a slate-frame with a hollowrubber tubing slitted to receive the edges of the slate. I am also awarethat it is not new to construct a slate with its frame of one piece ofrubber. I

therefore do not claim either of the above constructions.

Having thus described the purposes and ob- 15 ject of my invention, whatI claim, and desire to secure by LettersPatent of the United States, isy a 1, In combination with a slate, a frame for the same, consisting ofsolid rubber or other elastic material recessed to receive the edges ofthe slate and a wire within said rubber, substantially as set forth.

2. The method of making and attaching a frame to a school-slate,consisting'in bending a piece of wire around the rectangular slate

